Sheet-feeding machine.



No. 640,99l. Patented Jan. 9; I900. A. BUG.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE (Application filed Decv 30, 1897.) No Model.)

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SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

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No. 640,99l. Patented Jan. 9, I900. A. BUG. SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

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No. 640,99l. Patented Jan. 9, I900.

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(Application filed Dec. 30, 1897.)

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No. 640,99l. Patented Jan. 9, I900. A. BUG.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

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(No Model.)

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rise TATES ATENT Gr mes.

ABEL BUG, OF BERLIN, GERMANY;

SHEET==FEEEING MAoHINi-i.

SPECIFICATION forming part or Iljetters iatent No. 640,991, datedJanuary 9, 1906. Application filed December 30, 1 .397. Serial No.664,681. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ABEL BUG,- a subject of the Emperor of Russia,residing in Berlin,

Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticSheet Suppliers and Adj ustersZfor Printing, Paper-Folding, and SimilarMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus which is designed to supplyautomatically sheets of paper from a pile to a printing, paper-folding,or similar machine. The apparatus belongs to that class of apparatusesin which the sheets of a pile are seized one by one by means of grippingdevices, then carried forward, then dropped upon an adj usting-table,and finallyadjusted upon the said table before the grippers of theprinting-cylinder, the folding-knives, or the like act upon the sheetthus supplied and adjusted.

Theinvention consists,substantially, in the construction and arrangementillustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointedout in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus. Fig. 1 is a diagramillustrating the action of the apparatus. Fig. 1 shows a modifiedarrangement of the means moving the gripping devices. Fig. 1 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1, but showing the parts in the position which theyoccupy in Fig. 1 Fig. 2 is aplan view of Fig. l, the upper parts of thelatter figure being not shown. Fig. 3 is an end View of the apparatuslooking to the left-hand side of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-section ofthe spindle moving the gripping devices, of the guide'rods for thegrippers, and of adjacent parts. Fig. 5 is a side view of the nut of thespindle and of the slide carrying the grippers, this view being oppositeto that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an end View of the gearingtransmitting the motion of the main shaft to the devices of theadjusting-table. Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken in the direction ofthe broken line a a of Fig. 1 looking from the said line to theright-hand side. Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively side and front views ofthe devices which lift the uppermost sheet before it is gripped. Fig. 9is an end view of the upper parts of Fig. 9 looking from the right-handside to the left. Figs. 10, 10, and 10 show, respectively, a front view,a plan View, and an end View of the rods carrying the grippers. Fig. 11is a section and a plan view, of the arm 23 shown in Fig. 9 and carrying the cylinder 25. Figs. 12 and 13 show the slide carrying thegripper-rods and the appertaining devices, the latter being representedin two different positions. Figs. 14 and 15 show, respectively, thegrippers closed and opened. Fig. 16 is a plan view of the grippers andof parts carrying the same. Fig. 17 is a plan view of theadjusting-table with its'devices. Fig. 18 is an under view of the saidtable. Fig. 19 is an end View of the said table looking at Fig. 17 fromthe right-hand side to the left. Fig. 20 is a front View of the partsshown at the right-hand side of Fig. 17. Fig. 21 is a section of thedevices adjusting the sheet sidewise. Figs. 22 and 23 are respectivelyside View and longitudinal section of parts of the device which adjustthe sheet upon the adj usting-table in a forward direction. Figs. 24,24, and 25 are respectively side view, plan view, and side view of theparts which move the ledge serving to clamp the sheet of paper. Figs. 26

and 27 are respectively perspective views of 34, 34", 34, and 34 showdetails, hereinafter referred to more particularly. Figs. 35, 36, and 37show modified arrangements of the parts adjusting the sheet of papersidewise..

Referring now to Fig. 1, c is the pile of paper resting upon ahorizontal table Z). The uppermost sheet of paper 02 is shown lifted bymeans of sticky rolls 24. This lifted sheet is seized by grippers 50,which do not go downward rectilinear, as heretofore, but move downwardin the direction of the upper dotted curve, thus conveying the sheetclose to the adjusting-table 84 toward the front stops 6 of theprinting-cylinder f, whereupon the grippers are opened and let drop thesheet upon the adjusting-table. The dropped sheet is then adjusted, ashereinafter described, before the grippers g of the printing-cylinderseize the said sheet and take it with them.

The curved path of the grippers 50 becomes gradually flatter as theheight of the pile of paper decreases, so that the said path presents,finally, the form of the under dotted line.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to, 28, the construction and action of theapparatus shown are as follows:

1 and 2 (see Fig. 1) are two upright end posts, being secured to onecheek of the frame of the printing-machine and connected near theirlower ends by a horizontal beam 3. Near the fore end of this beam (seeFigs. 1, 2, and 7) a strap 4 is fixed, in the depending legs of whichthe driving-shaft 5 is mounted. The said shaft carries a spur-wheel 6,engaging the upper rack of the base-plate of the printing-machine. Theshaft 5 transmits its motion by the bevel-wheels 7 and 8 (shown. in Fig.7) to a short vertical shaft 9, mounted in the strap 4 and in the beam3, and the motion of the said shaft 9 is transmitted by means of thebevel-wheels 10 and 11 to the main shaft 12, being parallel ,to the beam3 and mounted in the standards 1 and 2, as shown in Fig. 1. On the mainshaft 12, near its left end, a worm 13 is fixed, which engages the rack14. According to the sense of the rotation of the shaft 12 the said rackis moved forward or backward, taking along with it a wedge 15, which isconnected with the said rack 14 by a vertical stayw and can be movedupon the beam 3. As the rack 14 is moved forward the inclined face ofthe wedge 15 slides under a roll 16, projecting sidewise from a verticalbar 17, being movable up and down. (See also inFig. 9 the lower part ofthe lefthand side.) Therefore the bar 17 is raised until the upperhorizontal surface of the wedge 15 arrives under the roll 16. In across-hole of the bar 17 a sliding pawl 18 i 'is placed, which by meansof a spring 19 is pushed'into the toothing of a second bar 20, so thatthis bar 20 partakes of the upward movement of the bar 17. At the upperend of the bar 20, at right angles thereto, a crossbar 21 is fixed,which extends along the fore edge of the table carrying the pile ofpaper,

and is guided between the legs of a fork 22,

(See Fig. 11.) All these arms 23 are inclined toward the backi. 6.,toward the pile of paper, as shown in Fig. 9-"-the arm 23, carrying thecylinder 25, being a little more inclined and somewhat longer than theother arms 23.

Before both the bars 17 and 20, together with the rod 21, have beenraised the sticky rolls 21 and the cylinder 25 rested upon the uppermostsheet of the pile of paper. There fore the sticky rolls in going upwardlifted up the uppermost sheet. This sheet is now seized by grippers, ashereinafter described, which bring it over the adj listing-table of theprinting-cylinder and then release it. While the grippers with theseized sheet are removed from the pile of paper, the rod 21, togetherwith the bars 20 and 17, descend, since now the main shaft 12, Fig. 1,rotates in the opposite sense, and the wedge 15 goes back under the roll16. On the outside of the wedge 15 a second wedge 26, which also engagesroll 16, is arranged. This second wedge can be shifted in a slot of thebeam 3 and is connected with the fore end of the wedge 15 by acoil-spring 27. As the wedge 15 goes forward the said spring 27 isexpanded and the wedge 26 is advanced; but the advancing of the wedge 26takes place only when the roll 16, by the inclined face of the wedge 15,is raised above the upper face of the wedge 26. The wedge 26 is advancedtill it arrives in the position shown in Fig. 8, where its movement islimited by the slot in the beam 3. During the first part of the backwardmovement of the wedge 15 the wedge 26 remains in the position shown inFig. 8 and upholds the roll 16, so that the bars 17 and 20 cannot falldown farther. The said barsremain in this position till the rear end ofthe seized sheet of paper has left the upper table. The instant the stud28, projecting sidewise from the outside of the wedge 15, strikesagainst the wedge 26 the latter is also moved back ward, and then thebars 17 and 20 fall. down from the wedge 26. In falling down a crosspin29 of the sliding pawl 18 of the bar 17 (see'Fig. 9) strikes against anose 30, whereby the sliding pawl is disengaged from the toothing of thebar 20. Therefore the bar 20 can drop until the sticky rolls 2& and thecaout- I chouc or rubber cylinder 25 rest upon the pile of paper. Duringthis descent of the bar 20 the rubber cylinder 25 pushes the uppermostsheet of paper a little backward in order to loosen it from the sheetbelow it, thus preventing later on several sheets from being lifted upsimultaneously. The bar 20 falls down at last independently of the bar17, and consequently the sticky rolls descend more and more as theheight of the pile of paper-decreases. Therefore the sliding pawl 18 ofthe bar 17 during its upward stroke engages another tooth of the bar 20when some sheets have been taken away. The sheet being lifted up by thesticky rolls is carried toward the front steps of the pressing-cylinderin the following manner:

On the fore end of the main shaft 12 (see Fig. 1) a sprocket-wheel 31 isfixed, which is connected with a higher-placed sprocketwheel 32 by apitch-chain 33. The shaft of direction.

IIO

in bearings of a rail 36, through a cross-hole of the fore end of whicha bolt 37 passes, (see Fig. 7,) which is connected with an arm of thestandard 2. Thus the said rail is pivoted to the said arm. From the backend of the rail 36 depends a bracket 38, which rests with a shoulderupon the standard 1 and the lower flat part of which engages a groove inthe said standard. By reason of this arrangement the rail 36, togetherwith the spindle 35, can be raised at the rear. The said spindle has anut 39, the under even face of which lies on the rail 36, so that thesaid nut can be moved only rectilinear when the spindle is rotated.Above the spindle two parallel guide-rods 40 are arranged, (see Figs. 4and 1,) which extend in the direction of the spindle and the ends ofwhich are fixed in brackets of the rail 36. On these rods 40 a slide 41is placed, which carries the grippers. When the nut 39 is moved towardthe pile of paper, then the slide 41 is taken with it by a springpressedhook 42 (see Fig. 5) being fixed upon that side of the nut 39 which isturned to the adjusting-table. At right angles to the guiderods 40 tworods 43 and 44 extend from the slide 41 above the adjusting-table. (SeeFigs. 1 and 10.) These rods, of which the rod 43 is situated below therod 44, are carried at their left ends (see Figs. 10, 10*, and 10 inprojecting eyes 45 of a plate 46, fixed upon the slide, and are furthersupported in eyes 47 and 48 of a long bracket 49, extending parallel tothe rods 43 and 44 and being fixed upon the plate 46. The said rods areprovided with grippers 50, the upper jaws of which are connectedadjustably to the upper rod 44, while the lower jaws are connectedadjustably to thelowerrod43. (SeealsoFigs.l4,15,and16.) Upon eachguide-rod a coil-spring 51 (see Fig. 10) is placed, acting in such amanner that the said rods are turned in opposite directions, thusclosing the jaws of the grippers. In order to remove the upper jaws fromthe lower ones-2'. 6., to open the grippersthe upper rod 44 is providedwith an arm 52. (See Figs. 12 and 13.) When the rod 44 is turned by thehand of the workman against the action of its coil-spring 51 (see Fig.10) till the arm 52 occupies the position shown in Fig. 12, then aplate-spring 53, projecting from the slide-plate 46 and being providedwith a stud 54, moves outward and brings its stud behind the arm 53. Nowthe nut 39, together with the opened grippers, moves back ward andupward. (See Fig. 1.) As soon as the grippers arrive at the pile ofpaper the fore edge of the lifted sheet enters between the jaws of thegrippers, and then by a stop 55 of the lifting-bar 20 the plate-spring53 is pushed inwardly, so that its stud 54 releases the arm, 52,whereupon the upper jaws snap down against the lower ones and clamp thesheet of paper cl, as shown in Fig. 1. The spindle 35 is now rotated inthe opposite sense. Hence the nut 39 goes forward and downward andconveys the seized sheet of paper toward the front stops of theprintingcylinder. In doing so the grippers, together with their guide,are lowered, so that the sheet is brought as near as possible over theadjusting-table, as explained above with reference to Fig. 1*. The saidlowering and the previous raising of the grippers are effected in thefollowing manner:

The left end of the main shaft 12 is provided with a worm 65. (See Fig.1.) The said worm engages a worm-wheel 66, from the back of which asmall roll 67 projects. (See also Fig. 3.) The said wheel makes one fullrevolution in onesense during the upward travel of the grippers and anopposite revotion during the downward travel of the grippers. When thewheel 66 has made half a revolution during the upward travel of thegrippers, then in the further rotation of the wheel 66 the roll 67 ofthe latter enters (in Fig. 3 from the left-hand side to the righthandside) between two horizontal rails 68, being rounded off at one end (seeFig. 3,1efthand side) and being fixed to a slide 69, which is movable upand down in a suitable guide of an arm 70 of the standard 1. Hence thesaid slide is raised by the roll 67 as the wheel 66 rotates in thecorresponding sense. To the slide 69 a vertical bar 71 is connected,which partakes of the movement of the said slide. The stroke of theslide and its bar is ever the same. In the upper end of the bar 71 asliding pawl 72 is placed, (see Fig. 8,) and this pawl engages thetoothing of a vertical bar 73, being movable up and down and beingraised when the bar 71 is raised. The lowest position of the bar 73depends upon the lowest position of the bar 20, as hereinafterexplained. When the bar 73 is raised, as indicated in Fig. 1 in dottedlines, then it strikes with an arm in (see Fig. 3) against the rail 36,carrying the spindle 35, and raises the back end of the said rail, asshown in Fig. 1. At the same time the bar 20, carrying the lifting-rod21, is raised, and consequently the uppermost sheet of paper is liftedfrom the pile of paper. By the said raisingof the back end of thespindle 35 the grippers arrive in front of the fore edge of the liftedsheet when they terminate their upward travel, whereupon the liftedsheet is seized by the grippers and conveyed toward the front stops ofthe printingcylinder. During the downward travel of the-grippers thelifting-bar 20 and the bars 73 and 71 descend. The lifting-bar descendssoon after the grippers have seized the sheet of paper, andindependentlyof this descent the gripper-guide is lowered at the same time at therear end by its own Weight or by an auxiliary load till the shoulder ofthe bracket 38 rests upon the standard 1. The gripper-guide is thenparallel to the in clined adjusting-table. Thus the air-space betweenthe sheet of paper and the adjustingtable is diminished to such a degreethat as soon as the sheet is released from the grippers it pushes offquickly the fiat layer of air IOO standard 2.

below it, whereby a rapid working is insured, and notwithstanding thesheets supplied are prevented from bulging, crumpling, and rolling up,as is the case in the old apparatus, where the sheets had to push off agreat wedge-like layer of air. When the bar 71, which causes the raisingof the gripper-guide, is near the end of its downward motion, then anose 74, placed on the arm of the standard 1, (see Fig. 1,) pushes thesliding pawl 72 back, so that the bar 73is released from the said pawl.The said bar 73 was caught somewhat sooner, as its second arm 72, fixedto its upper end, struck against the adjustable arm 76 of thelifting-bar 20. As above described,the lifting-bar descends the more theless the height of the pile of paper becomes, so that the bar 73 fallsdown correspondingly farther. Hence the bar 73 is removed more and morefrom the rear of the rail 36, carrying the spindle 35, so that (see Fig.8) the sliding pawl 72 of the bar 71, when the latter goes upward,engages by little and little with other teeth of the bar 73. Thustherear end of the spindle 35 is raised less and less, so that the curveof the path of the grippers becomes gradually flatter, as will be seenfrom Fig. 1. Consequently the length of the path which the grippersshall have to make becomes gradually shorter, and for that reason thegrippers cannot be allowed to follow the whole travel of the spindle-nut39. To this end the following arrangement is made:

As above explained with reference to Fig. 5, the slide 41, carrying thegrippers, follows the upward travel of the spindle-nut 39 by means of aspring-pressed hook 42 being connected with the said nut. When thespindlenut 39 is near the end of its upward travel, then an arm 77 ofthe hook 42 slides upon a roll 78 of the rail 36 and releases the hook42 from the slide 41. Now the spindle-nut goes farther upward, whereasthe released slideis pushed farther by a spiral spring 79, (see Fig. 1,)which is fixed to the lower part of the spindle-nut 39 and the free endof which.

presses against a pin 80 of the slide 41, the said movement beinglimited by a stop-plate 82, (see Fig. 1,) fixed to the lifting-bar 20,and against'which a little roller 81 of the slide 41 strikes. In itsdownward and forward movement the spindle-nut 39 takes with it thegripper-slide 41 by means of a hook 83, fixed to the outside of the saidnut. (See Fig. 1.) A short time before the end of this downward travelan arm 56, fixed to the lower gripperrod 43, strikes against aprojection of the Thus the lower gripper-rod, which till now remained inits position by its stud y lying against the plate 46, (see Fig. 12,) isturned against the action of its coilspring, and consequently the lowerjaws are removed from the upper ones. During this motion of the lowergripper-rod a tooth 57 (see Fig. 12) fixed to the said rod takes with ita tooth 58 of the upper gripper-rod, so that both the jaws of thegrippers come into the position shown in Fig. 15 and let drop upon theadj usting-table the sheet which they had conveyed along with them.In'order to prevent the sheet sliding forward upon the inclined adjListing-table to rise upon the lower gripper-jaws, each lower jaw isprovided with a wire fork 59. (See Fig. 16.) By the rotation of theupper gripper-rod 44, effected by the teeth 57 58, the arm 52 of thesaid rod is moved forward till the spring-stud 54 snaps be hind the arm52. In order to prevent the gripper-rods to oscillate while they traveltogether with the slide upward or downward, a roll 60, supported by thebracket 49, (see Fig. 10,) runs upon a guide-rail 61, (see Fig. 4,)extending parallel to the guide-rods 40 of the slide 41 and beingconnected with the rail 36,.

carrying the spindle '35, by curved arms 62. Moreover, an arm 63depending from the outside of the slide 41 carries two rolls 64, whichtake the rail 36 between them.

Instead of reaching only to the middle of the adj usting-table thegripper-rods may extend entirely across the said table and be carriedalso at the other side of the table.

It may be mentioned that the gripper-slide is provided with a grease-box2, (see Figs. 1, 10 and 13,) having three wick-tubes, which supply oilto the gripper-guides 40 and to the spindle 35. Further, it mayberemarked that it is not necessary to arrange the spindle 35, moving thegrippers,below the gripper-guides, for the said spindle may be mountedin a horizontal position along one side of the table supporting the pileof paper and may be connected with the gripper-slide by a rod 132, asshown in Fig. 1". In this case the spindle is moved by sprocket-wheels,which are arranged at the left end of the main shaft 12 in lieu of beingat the right end, as shown in Fig. 1. If it should be deemed necessaryto arrange a gripperguide at each side of the machine, then two spindlesare to be mounted, each at one side, and the sheetconveyed till thefront stop of the printing-cylinder is released from the grippers, asabove explained, after the arm 56 of the lower gripper-guide 43 hasstricken against the projection of the standard 2. (See Fig. 1.) Thereleased sheet falls now upon the adj usting-table. (See Figs. 17, 18,and 19.) The said table is provided with the devices which adjust thedropped sheet and are constructed as follows:

Across the table 84 a shaft 85 extends, upon the left end of which (seeFig. 17) a bevelwheel 86 is mounted, the latter being rotated by thegear 87 from the main shaft 12, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6. Upon theother end of the shaft 85 (see Fig. 17) a disk 88 is mounted, whichcarries on each face a wing 89. The free end of each wing is acted uponby a coil-spring 90 (see Fig. 20) being put upon a guide-bolt 91, whichis fixed to the said disk, the said spring tending to press the wingagainst the head of the said bolt. WVhen the shaft 85 rotates in thedirection of the arrow shown in Fig. 19, then the outer wing'89 otherbar 95, equal to the bar 93.

(see Fig. 20) works against the roll 92 of a bar 93, (see Fig. 18,right-hand side,) the said bar extending below the shaft 85. Thus thisbar is moved inward. It is connected with one arm of a double-armedlever 94:, mounted rotatably in the middle of the table, and the otherarm of which is connected with an- According to this arrangement the baris drawn inward when the bar 93 is pushed inward. To each of these barsa forked piece 96 is fixed adjustably, (see Fig. 21,) and each of thesaid pieces is connected with a sleeve 97, being put upon the shaft 85and carrying an anglepiece 98. (See Fig. 17.) Between these angle-piecesthe sheet to be adjusted is brought in the following manner: On themiddle part of the table 81, above the said angle-pieces 98, aplate isprovided, which is shown in full lines in Fig. 17. This plate isconnected adjustably with a bar 121, which, being arranged in a slot 122in the table 81, is movable to and fro and receives its motion from thebars 93 95, situated below the shaft 85, by two rods 123, which areconnected at one end with the bars 93 95 and at the other end with asleeve 124, (see Figs. 22 and 23,) containing a sliding bolt 125. Thisbolt is provided with a cross-pin 126, which projects through slots ofthe sleeve 124 and is pressed against an upper collar-128 of the saidsleeve 124: bya coil-spring 127, surrounding the said sleeve. The upperend of the bolt is in contact sidewise with a depending projection 129of the bar 121, so that the latter is pushed in the direction of thearrow whenthe rods 123 are moved toward one another, as is the case whenthe bars 93 95 go inward. During this motion of the bar 121 a fixedinclined plane (see Fig. 22)acts upon the cross-pin 126 of the bolt 125and causes the latter to descend till it is no more in contact with theprojection 129 of the bar 121. The bar 121,together with its plate 120,is then stopped, the sheet of paper previously dropped upon the saidplate being now in contact with the front stops of'the printing-cylinderand between the angle-pieces 98. The sheet of paper lying upon the plate120 is onlyheld bythe friction existing between the sheet and the plate.Hence the sheet is free to move in all directions, so that it adjustsitself exactly to the front stops of the printing-cylinder during theforward movement of the plate. As the outer wing 89 of the disk 88pushes the bars 93 95 still inward (see Fig. 17) the angle-pieces 98 gofarther against one another till the distance between the vertical legsof the anglepieces 98 is a little smaller than the width of the sheet.Therefore the sheet is somewhat curvedt'. c., bulged-and thus its sideedges are brought close to the vertical legs of the angle-pieces 98. Thedegree of the bulging of the sheet is so little that if the side edgesof the sheet are not exactly at right angles to its front edge, as isalways the case, only one point of one and only one point of the otherside edge will be brought in contact with the vertical leg of theadjacent angle-piece, whereby a removal of the fore edge of the sheetfrom the front stops is prevented. Now the side edges of the sheet ofpaper are clamped against the horizontal legs of the angle-pieces byledges 99, (see Fig. 21,) the under side of which is lined with rubber,and which are movably mounted to the inside of the vertical legs of theangle-pieces. An inclined plane 100, formed on the outside of the disk88, (see Figs. 17, 19, and 20,) acts then against the roll 92 of the bar93 and causes both the bars 93 95 to move a little outward. Consequentlythe angle-pieces 98 are removed from one'another a little distance, sothat the sheet clampedin is stretched. During the further rotation ofthe disk 88 the angle-pieces 98 remain stationary, whereas theclampingledges arise and release the sheet of paper, which during theinverserotation of the shaft 85, now effected, is seized anddrawn awayby the grippers of theprinting-cylinder. During the inverse rotation oftheshaft 85 the inner wing 89 of the disk 88 acts against a second roll101 of the bar 93, (see Fig. 20,) so that the bars 93 and 95 are pushedoutward, thus removing the angle-pieces from one another in order toallow the next sheet of pa- 1 per to come between them. During the lastpart of the outwardmovement of the anglepieces and the straddling of therods 123 (see Fig. 18) a projection 131 ofthe collar 128 of the sleeve124: (see Fig. 22) moves the bar 121, together with its plate] 20, inthe initial lows: The vertical leg 102 of the angle-piece 98 (see Fig.26) hastworecesses 103, so that at each end of the said leg a flap 104is formed. On these flaps the clamping-ledge 99, being in. contact withthe inside of the leg 102, (see Fig. 21,) is guided by means of itsangular lugs 105. (Shown in Fig: 27.) From the middle part of the leg102 two bolts 106 project outwardly, (see Figs. 17 and 21,) upon thesquare part of which two vertical plates 107 and 108 are put, the upperedges of which are indulated, as shown in Figs. 21, 2 1 and 25. The saidplates 107 and 108 are provided at the places where the bolts passthrough them with longitudinal slots in order to allow the plates to bedisplaced in their longitudinal direction. The lower edge of the plate107 is toothed, and in this toothing a spurwheel 109 engages, (see Fig.21,) partaking of the rotation of the shaft 85, as well as of the motionof the angle-pieces 98. When the angle-pieces 98 are moved toward oneanother, then the rotating wheel 109 displaces the plate 107 into theposition shown in Fig. 2 1. In doing so both the rolls 110, projectingsidewise from the clamping-ledge 99, (see Figs. 17, 21, and 27,) descendinto the bottoms of the waves of the plates 107 and 108,

(see Fig. 24,) whereby the clamping-ledges 99 are lowered. This loweringis assisted by two pressing-fingers 111, (see Figs. 17 and 19,) workingupon the upper corners of the clam ping-ledge. shown in Fig. 28. It hasits fulcrum 112 in one of the flaps 104 of the leg 102, (see Fig. 26,)and its outer arm 113 is acted upon by a coil-spring 114: being put on abolt 115,

which is screwed into an outer flap of the horizontal leg of theangle-piece 98. (See Fig. 26.) The pressure of the pressing-fingers isregulated by turning a nut screwed upon the upper end of the bolt 115,so that one clamping ledge exerts more pressure upon the sheet of paperthan the other ledge. When the angle-pieces 98 after having been movedinward are moved a little from one another in order to stretch thesheet, then the angle-piece, the clamping-ledge of which clamps thesheetfaster or stronger, takes the sheet with it, thus bringing themiddle of the sheet exactly in accordance with the middle of theprinting-cylinder. When the other side of the same sheet of paper is tobe printed upon, then the pressing-fingers are to be regulatedinversely, so that the other clam ping-ledge exerts more pressure thanthe first one. Hence the same edge of the sheet is pressed faster,whereby the said middles are brought again in accordance with oneanother. The clamping-ledges having been lowered by the inward motion ofthe angle-pieces 98 and having then stretched the clamped sheet duringthe first part of the outward motion of the anglepieces 98, the furtherrotation of the shaft 85 effects that the toothed plate 107 is displacedin the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 24, taking with it by itshook 116 the plate 108. In doing so the tops of the waves of the plate108 (see Fig. 25) are brought under the rolls 110 of the clamping-ledge99, thus rais-' ing the latter. This ledge 99 remains in the raisedposition, when the plate 107 is displaced in the opposite sense, as theother hook 117 of the toothed plate 107 takes with it thesupporting-plate 108 only then, when the tops of the waves of thetoothed plate are arrived under the rolls 110 of the clamping-ledge.

In order to convey the side edges of the sheet exactly under the raisedclampingledges 99 when the plate 120 is moved forward and theangle-pieces 98 are moved toward one another, from each clamping-ledge99 at its side turned to the middle of the table a tube 118 is suspendedin such a manner that it is a little movable in a vertical plane. Therear (in Fig. 17 the upper) end of the tubes 118 is bent upward in orderto facilitate the sliding in of the sheet of paper.

Referring now to Figs. 29 to 37, in the modified construction shown themain shaft 12 (see Fig. 29) receives its motion from a roller of theinking apparatus. On the shaft 12 is mounted a worm 13, (see Figs. 34and 34",) engaginga worm-wheel 13,which is mounted upon the cross-shaft133. This shaft is pro- One of these pressing-fingers isvided with aneccentric 15 and a movable angle-lever 26. With the eccentric 15 theroll 16 of the vertical bar 17 is in contact. When the eccentric 15rotates in the direction of the arrow, then the bar 17-is raised. Indoing so (see Fig. 29) the arm 29 of the sliding pawl 18 of the said barslides along the inclined plane 30 of a rigid arm in an upwarddirection, and the said pawl being acted upon by the spring 19 engagesthe toothing of the bar 20, whereupon this bar is raised too. In theupper part of the bar 20 a second toothing 134 is formed, into which aspurwheel 135 engages. The wheel 135 is fixed upon a cross-shaftextending below the table I) and having on its other end a wheel equalto the wheel 135. The said second wheel en gages another bar 20, mountedat the other side of the table. The upper ends of both the bars 20 areconnected to a cross-rod 21, from the middle part of which a rigid arm136 depends, terminating in a footplate 137. This foot-plate rests uponthe-pile of paper 0 as long as the bars 20 remain in the position shownin Fig. 29. The bars 17 20 21 are raised by the eccentric 15 till theroll 16 of the bar 17 is upon the end face of the nose 138 of theeccentric 15. (See also Figs. 34 and 343 Then the angle-lever 26 ispartly rotated by the action of a spring 27 (one end of which isconnected with the lower arm of the lever 26 and the other end with astationary pillar 27") till the lower arm of the said lever strikesagainst a stop 26. Then the upper arm of the lever 26 is arrived atunder the corresponding large roll .16, so that the bar 20' cannotfalldown when the eccentric 15 is rotated backward and its nose 138 isremoved from the roll 16. During this time the uppermost sheet of thepile o is pushed forward below the raised foot-plate 137, seized by thegrippers, and carried toward the front stops of the printing-cylinder.As soon as the sheet has left the table I) a pin 28 of the nose 138 ofthe eccentric 15 (which pin 28 cannot act upon the upper arm of thelever 26', as the said upper arm has a suitable recess 26) strikesagainst the lower arm of the angle-lever 26', thus removing the upperarm IIO of the said angle-lever from the roll 16,whereupon the bars 20and 17 fall down. The bar 17 descends till its roll 16 comes intocontact with the eccentric 15. (See Fig. 29.) Then the sliding pawl 18is drawn back by the inclined plane 30. Hence the bar 20 descendsfarther till the foot-plate 137 rests upon the pile of paper 0. In thisconstruction two spindles 35, moving the grippers, are arranged one ateach side of the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 30. Both the spindles aremounted in the frame of the machine, so that they can only be rotated.Movement is imparted to them by the bevel-wheel 65, fixed to the leftend of the main shaft 12, as shown in Fig. 29. The wheel 65 engages thebevelwheel 141 of a cross-shaft 142, extending below the table 6' towardthe opposite side of the apparatus. A bevel-wheel 143, fixed to theupper end of the spindle (being visible in Fig. 29,) engages also thebevel-wheel 141, whereas, as shown in Fig. 30, the other spindle 35receives its motion from the bevelwheel144, being mounted on the otherend of the cross-shaft 142 and engaging the bevelwheel145 of the saidother spindle 35. Above each spindle 35 a guide-rod for the grippers isarranged. The fore end of each guiderod 40 is pivoted at 37, as shown inFig. 29, right-hand side, and the slide 41 of the said guide-rod isconnected with the spindlenut 39 by a rod 146 being hinged sidewise tothe said slide and sliding in a sleeve 147 of the spindle-nut 39' inorder to allow the transmission of the motion of the nut to the slidewhen the guide-rod 40 oscillates around its pivot 37. The guide-rods 40,togetherwith the grippers carried by them, are raised and lowered in thefollowing manner: The vertical spindle 139 displaces byits rotation anut .148, being provided with a sliding pawl 72'.

This pawl slides on one side, with two pins 149 in horizontal holes ofthe nut 148 and bears on the other side with two rolls 150 against twoupright guide-rails as shown in Figs. 31 and 29. The upper ends of theserails are sloped at 74, so that when the rolls 150 run upon the slopedparts 74 the sliding pawl 72 is pushed by a spring 151 into the toothingof a bar 73, to the upper end of which, at the left-hand side in Fig.29, a sliding block 152 is fixed, which engagesagrooved vertical guide153. In the farther ascent of the nut 148 the bar 73 is raised too, andafter having passed a certain distance the said bar 73 strikes against arear arm 38 of the gripper guide-rod 40, which is visible in Fig. 29.The said arm 38 passes rearward between two rolls 154, mounted on aslide 155, which engages another groove of the guide 153. The slide 155is provided with a toothing 156, in whicha spur-wheel 157 engages. Thelatter is fixed to a cross-shaft 158, extending below the table I? andhaving at its opposite end an equal spur-wheel 159, (see Fig. 30,) whichmoves a slide 160 equal to the slide 155 and acting upon the arm 38 ofthe opposite guiderod 40. When the guide-rods 40, together with thegrippers, are raised, then the grippers seize the uppermost sheet ofpaper and convey it downward and forward. In this downward travel, whichis etfected by the inverse rotation of the main shaft 12,-the nut 148descends upon the vertical spindle 139, so that the bar 73, the arms 38,and the guiderods 40 go down by their own weight. As soon as theguide-rods 40 come into the position shown in Fig. 29 the arms 38' arearrested by a projection of the guide 153, while the bar 73 descendsstill farther. Now the rolls 150 of the sliding pawl 72 run again uponthe sloped parts 74 of the rails 70, thus being pressed sidewise to theright-hand side, so

that the sliding pawl 72 is disengaged from the toothing of the bar 73and the latter is released, falling down till its lower arm is upheld bythe lower arm 76 of the bar 20. Hence the amount of the free descent ofthe bar 73 varies with the position of the bar 20, which in its turndepends upon and varies with the height of the pile of paper 0. When thebars 20, together with their connectingrod 21 and the foot-plate 137,arise, then the uppermost sheet is pushed forward below the raised plate137 in the following manner: On the shaft 142, imparting motion to thespindles 35, a worm16l is mounted, (see Fig. 34,) engaging a worm-wheel162 of a horizontal shaft 163, extending along one side of the table I),as shown in Fig. 30. The shaft 163 transmits its motion at the left-handside in 166 to a vertical shaft 167, behind which,

rod 168 and a rigid rack 169 are arranged. Upon the shaft 167 and therod 168 slidesa double sleeve 170, from which, before the rod 168, arack 171 depends, reaching still below the shaft 163. Upon thehorizontal shaft 163 being grooved lengthwise a sleeve is mounted,having a feather engaging the groove of the said shaft and carrying thebevel-wheel 165. The fore end of the said sleeve isprovided with a fork172, as shown in Figs. 32 and 33. In the free ends of the legs of thesaid fork a pawl 173 is pivoted, which in the position shown in Fig. 33reposes with alower nose 174.0n a rigid projection 175. All the parts165 to 175'are connected witttthe rear anglepiece 220, being adjustableaccording to the size of the sheets of paper to be printed upon and.being fixed in the desired position by means of suitable screws. Whenthe shaft 163 rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 33,then the nose 174 of thepawl 173 is removed from the projection 175 andthe pawl is pushed by means of a spring 176 sleeve one end of a shaft177 (see Fig. 29) is.

mounted, extending at the rear of the table 6 across the same. Theopposite end of the said shaft is mounted at the other side of the.

table in another double sleeve 170, (see Fig. 30,) guided in the samemanner as the first sleeve 170. To the shaft 177 two spur-wheels 178 arefixed, one of which engages the rack 169 and the other an equal rack atthe opposite side of the table. During the upward motion of the sleeve170 (shown in Fig. 29) the spur-wheels 178, engaging the rigid racks169, are rotated, thus raisingalso the sleeve 170 at the opposite sideof the table. In order to make the drawings more easily intelligible,the part which in Fig. 29 is concealed by the sleeve 170 is illustratedapart at the righthand side of the rack 169. The said part is also shownin a greater scale in Figs. 34 and 34, Fig. 34 being a front view andFig.

5 Figs. 29 and 32 by means of bevel-wheels t 349 a side view. Above andbelow the shaft 17 7 two other shafts 17 9 and 180 are arranged, beingalso mounted in the said sleeves 170. The shaft 180 is rocked by thebevel-wheels 181 and 182. (Shown in Fig. 29 at the lefthand side.) Thewheel 182 is mounted in the sleeve 170 and engages with a feather alongitudinal groove of the vertical shaft 167. Hence during the rockingmotion of the shaft 167 the horizontal shaft 180 is also rocked in spiteof its up-and-down motion with the double sleeve 170. Both the shafts177 and 180 pass near each end through a block 221, (see Figs. 34 and345 being adjustable upon the said shafts according to the size of thepile of paper and carrying a sleeve 222, which surrounds the shaft 180and engages, with a feather, a longitudinal groove of the said shaft, sothat the said sleeve partakes of the rocking motion of the shaft 180. Onthe sleeve 222, at one end, a toothed segment 222 is fixed, (shown indotted lines in Fig. 342 engaging the toothed segment 183 of a lever183, which is fulcrumed at 183 (see Fig. 34) in the block 221 andterminates in a sticky roll 184:. Thus by the oscillation by the shaft180 in one sense the sticky rolls 184: at both sides of the table I) areswung forward and lift up the rear end of the uppermost sheet of paper.In the forward springing motion of the levers 183 the rolls 184 cannotturn on their axis, as they are hindered by a lateral pawl 183. Duringthis oscillation of the shaft 180 a earn 186, fixed to the other end ofthe sleeve 222, acts upon a roll of the shorter arm of an angle-lever187, having its fulcrum in the block 221 and engaging with its longerarm the toothing of a pawl 188, which is hinged to a foot 189 restingupon the uppermost sheet of the pile, and being fixed to a vertical bar190, which is guided in lugs 221 of the block 221. Thus the angle-lever187 raises the pawl 188, together with the foot 189 and its bar 190,till the pawl strikes against a stop 191 of the block 221 and againstthe action of its spring 188 is released from the angle-lever 187. Thenthe foot 189 falls down, touching the sheet, which is lifted by thesticky rolls, and stripping off a second sheet, if such a one shouldhave been lifted too. The free descent of the foot 189 is aided byaspring 192, one 'end of which is connected with a collar 190, adjustablyfixed to the upper end of the bar 190, while the other end is connectedto the lower lug 221" of the block 221. Now the sheet being lifted up atthe rear is pushed forward in the following manner: The shaft 179,mounted in the double sleeves 17 0 and situated above the shaft 177,carries on its end, which is visible in Fig. 29 at the left-hand sideand also in Fig. 30, a curved arm 193, terminating in a roll which bearsupon a conical cam 194, being rotatably mounted in the sleeve 170 androcked by the vertical shaft 167. By the action of the cam 194. upon theroll of the arm 193 the shaft 179 is rocked, carrying two adjustablearms 195,

each of which is connected by an adjustable rod 196 with a slide 197.Each of these slides is put upon a rod 198, and both the rods 198 areadj ustably connected with the cross-bar 21, carrying the foot-plate137, At the fore end each slide 197 is provided on its top with a fork199, and between both these forks a flat bar 200 is placed edgewise,carrying two adjustable rolls 201, resting upon the uppermost sheet ofthe pile of paper. The bar 200 has within the forks 199, toward theirbottoms, so much play that during the first part of the ascent of thecrossbar 21 the said bar 200 is not yet raised. Hence its rolls 201remain in contact with the uppermost sheet of paper. At this time, thefoot-plate 137 being a little raised, the slides 197 and the bar 200,together with its rolls 201, are pushed forward, and the said rolls takewith it the uppermost sheet, so that the fore edge of the latterprojects from the pile. Then in the further ascent of the cross-bar 21the forks 199 lift up the roll-bar 200, while the grippers seize thedisplaced sheet and convey it downward. As soon as the seized sheet.

mounted, with which a rack engages, forming one piece with the rod 202.(Shown in Fig. 34:.) This rod is jointed with the lever 203, thebevel-wheel segment 204s of which gears with the bevel-wheel205,1nounted on the shaft 163,moviugtherearsheet-liftingdevice. (SeeFig. 29.) The other end of the shaft carries a disk similar to the disk88 (shown in Fig. 17) at the right-hand side and which acts upon barssimilar to the bars 93 95 (shown in Fig. 18) and situated below theshaft 85. In Figs. 35 and 37 only the bar 95 is visible. In lieu of theclamping-ledge 99 in Fig. 21 a pin 99 is provided, being adjustablyfixed to a lever 206, having its fulcrum 207 in the anglepiece 98 andresting with a roll 208 upon a cam 209, which partakes of the rotationof the shaft 85 and of the displacement of the anglepiece 98. When thecam 209 in its rotation has reached the position shown in Fig.35,thenthe roll 208 rests upon that part of the cam 209 the diameter of whichis the greatest, the lever 206, together with its clamping-pin 99, beingthen lifted. The said pin is guided in a hole of a shell or cup likeprojection 210 of the vertical leg 102 of the angle-piece 98. The saidshell turning its convex side downward serves the purpose to lead theside edges of the sheet of paper exactly below the lifted clamping-pins.The free end of the lever 206 is acted upon by a coil-spring 211,pressing downward the said lever,together with its pin, when that partof the cam 209 the diameter IIC of which is the smallest, is arrived atunder the roll 208. Then the sheet of paper is clamped by both the pins99. The springs acting upon the lever 206 are adjusted in the samemanner as above described with reference to Fig. 28 for the pressing-fingers 11lthat is to say, so that the clamping-pin acts with moreforce than the other. In order to hold each clamping-pin in the liftedposition as long as it is required, a crank-pin 212, projecting sidewisefrom the cam 209,pushes at the proper timea sliding bolt 213 under theraised roll 208. In the opposite rotation of the shaft 85 the saidsliding bolt is push ed back by the crank-pin 212, so that the roll208can again follow the circumference of the cam. At the outer side of eachlever 206 another lever 214 is arranged, having its fulcru m at 215 andresting with a roll 216 upon the circumference of another cam 217, whichalso partakes of the rotation of the shaft 85 and of the displacement ofthe angle-piece 98'. The two cams 209 and 217 are in one piece, and afork connected to the angle-piece 98 goes between the cams. Each or boththe levers 214 is acted upon by a spring 219, one end of which isconnected to the lever 214: near its fulcrum 215 and the other end tothe angle-piece 98, the said spring tending to pull down the said lever.To the free end of each lever 214: aplate 218 is fixed,which in theposition shown in Figs. 35 and 36 is pressed by the action of the spring219 upon the sheet of paper released by the grippers, so that the saidsheet is prevented from sliding farther forward, immediately after whichthe levers 214, together with their plates 218, are swung upward by thecam 217 and release the sheet of paper, which is now carried forward bythe plate 120 (see Fig. 17) to the front stops of the printing-cylinder,then bulged out a little by the vertical legs 102' of the angle-pieces98, then clamped by the pins 99, then stretched in the same manner asabove described, and finally released before the grippers of theprinting-cylinder seize the said sheet and take it with them.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In anapparatus for supplying sheets of paper to printing, paper-folding andsimilar machines the combination of grippers drawing away from a pile ofpaper the sheets one by one, a guide, upon which the grippers are movedto and fro, means for moving the grippers upon their guide, means forlowering the gripper-guide at its rear end during the forward travel ofthe grippers, and an adjusting-table, which does not partake of themovement of the gripper-guide, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for supplying sheets of paper to printing,paper-folding and similar machines the combination of grippers 50, agripper-guide 40 being at its fore end pivoted, a spindle 35 moving thegrippers, a bar 73 raising the gripper-guide at the rear and a bar 20,the position of which depends upon the height of the pile of paper andwhich limpaper to printing, paper-folding and similar machines thecombination of grippers 50, a

gripper-guide 40 being at its fore end pivoted, a spindle 35 moving thegrippers, a bar 73 raising the gripper-guide at the rear, means forraising the bar 7 3 always the same amount, and a bar 20 the position ofwhich depends upon the height of the pile of paper and which limits thedownward motion. of the bar 73, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for supplying sheets of paper to printing,paper-folding and similar machines the combination of grippers drawingaway from a pileof paper the sheets one by one, a guide, upon which thegrippers are moved to and fro, means for moving the grippers upon theirguide, means for disengaging the grippers near the end of their upwardtravel from the said moving means, a bar 20, the position of whichdepends upon the height of the pile of paper, means for pushing thegrippers after the said disengagement against a stop 82 of the said bar20, and means for lowering the gripper-guide at its rear during theforward travel of the grippers, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for supplying sheets of paper to printing,paper-folding and similar machines the combination of grippers drawingaway from a pile of paper the sheets one by one, a guide upon which thegrippers are moved to and fro, means for moving the grippers upon theirguide, means for lowering the gripper-guide at its rear during theforward travel of the grippers, and a bar 20 which is upheld by a stop26 during the lowering of the gripper-guide, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus for supplying sheets of paper to printing,paper-folding and similar machines the combination of grippers 50, aguide upon which the grippers are moved to and fro, means for moving thegrippers upon their guide, means for lowering the gripperguide at itsrear during the forward travel of the grippers, means striking against astop at the end of the forward travel of the grippers and opening thelower gripper-jaws, and means for opening the upper gripperjaws,substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus for supplying sheets of paper to printing,paper-folding and similar machines, the combination of a bar 21, theposition of which depends upon the height of the pile of paper, meansfor raising said. bar, grippers, a gripper-guide, means for moving theuppermost sheet into reach of the grippers, said grippers being adaptedto seize said sheet, and means for lowering the gripperguide duringforward travel of the grippers, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus for supplying and adjusting sheets of paper inprinting, paper folding and similar machines the combination

